Garmin
Venu 3S vs Vivoactive 5
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
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Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 43–60mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Vivoactive 5 wears larger than the Venu 3S (42.2mm vs 41mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Vivoactive 5 is the slimmer of the two (11.1mm vs 12mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Vivoactive 5 feels lighter (36g vs 40g, case only).
The Venu 3S is middle-of-the-pack for thickness among the 374 41mm watches in the database.
Among the 697 42mm watches we hold thickness for, the Vivoactive 5 is thinner than 82%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
The Vivoactive 5 is 1.2mm wider, 1.2mm longer, 0.9mm thinner and 4g lighter than the Venu 3S. Both are circular.
Venu 3S
Vivoactive 5
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Venu 3S
Garmin
Vivoactive 5
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
- Garmin Venu 3S41mm · 12mm thick
- Garmin Vivoactive 542.2mm · 11.1mm thick
3D preview
Venu 3S vs Vivoactive 5 on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Battery life compared
Runtime for every power mode either watch publishes, 2 of them directly comparable.
Venu 3SVivoactive 5
Battery Saver
480 hours—Smartwatch
10 days11 daysGPS
21 hours21 hours
Specifications
The short version
10 key specs| Spec | GarminVenu 3S | GarminVivoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 41mm | 42.2mm |
| Thickness | 12mm | 11.1mm |
| Weight | 40g | 36g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.2 inches | 1.2 inches |
| Battery life | 10 days | 11 days |
| Released | 2023 | 2023 |
Every specification
118 specs| Spec | Garmin Venu 3S | Garmin Vivoactive 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | 41 | 42.2 |
| height | 41 | 42.2 |
| volume | 20.17 cm³ | 19.77 cm³ |
| weight | 40 g | 36 g |
| thickness | 12 | 11.1 |
| ATM rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| resolution | 390 x 390 px | 390 x 390 px |
| screen size | 1.2 inches | 1.2 inches |
| Display type | OLED/AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | Yes | Yes |
| pixel density | 459 ppi | 459 ppi |
| width of band | 18 mm | 20 mm |
| water resistance | Waterproof | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | Yes | Yes |
| has a touch screen | Yes | Yes |
| is designed for kids | No | No |
| Gorilla Glass version | Gorilla Glass 3 | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| waterproof depth rating | 50 m | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | No | No |
| maximum operating temperature | 50 °C | 60 °C |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | Yes | Yes |
| lowest potential operating temperature | -20 °C | -20 °C |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | 1 hours | 1.5 hours |
| battery life | 10 days | 11 days |
| has wireless charging | No | No |
| has a removable battery | No | No |
| battery life with GPS on | 21 hours | 21 hours |
| Has a solar power battery | No | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | Yes | Yes |
| battery life in power save mode | 480 hours | — |
| Sensors | ||
| has GPS | Yes | Yes |
| has a compass | Yes | Yes |
| Has a barometer | Yes | No |
| has a gyroscope | Yes | No |
| Has a cadence sensor | No | No |
| has an accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | No | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | Yes | No |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | Yes | Yes |
| Features | ||
| release date | 2023-08-30 | 2023-09-20 |
| Has a stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | No | No |
| warranty period | 1 years | 1 years |
| Has call control | Yes | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | Yes | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | Yes | Yes |
| internal storage | 8GB | 4GB |
| measures VO2 max | Yes | Yes |
| Has notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | Yes | No |
| Locates your phone | Yes | Yes |
| has a front camera | No | No |
| has fall detection | Yes | Yes |
| has voice commands | No | No |
| Acquires GPS faster | Yes | No |
| Has vibrating alerts | Yes | Yes |
| shows readiness level | No | No |
| Can be used to answer calls | Yes | No |
| measures resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | Yes | No |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | No | No |
| RAM | — | 4GB |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | Yes | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | Yes | Yes |
| supports Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| supports Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| has a cellular module | No | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Is compatible with Android | Yes | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | No | No |
| Has auto pause | Yes | Yes |
| Available on PC | Yes | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | Yes | Yes |
| has an external memory slot | No | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | Yes | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | Yes | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | No | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | Yes | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | Yes | Yes |
| Free app | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | Yes | Yes |
| Has coaching | Yes | Yes |
| Includes maps | Yes | Yes |
| Supports routes | Yes | Yes |
| Has achievements | Yes | Yes |
| Has goal setting | Yes | Yes |
| Has live tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | Yes | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | Yes | Yes |
| Can be personalised | Yes | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | Yes | No |
| Predicts start date | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | Yes | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Has period notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | Yes | No |
| Doesn’t require account | No | No |
| Provides activity reports | Yes | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | Yes | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks distance | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | Yes | No |
| Designed for golf | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks your sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for diving | No | No |
| Has a route tracker | Yes | No |
| Has exercise tagging | Yes | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | No | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | Yes | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | Yes | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | Yes | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | Yes | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Venu 3S
Sits best on wrists ~43–59mm wide (≈ 11.5–15.8cm circumference).
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Sits best on wrists ~44–60mm wide (≈ 11.7–16.0cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Venu 3S bigger than the Garmin Vivoactive 5?
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is bigger — 42.2mm vs 41mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Venu 3S or the Garmin Vivoactive 5?
The Garmin Venu 3S suits wrists around 43–59mm wide, and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 around 44–60mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Venu 3S and Garmin Vivoactive 5 side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.